Following the approval of the Governor of Edo State Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Executive Chairman, Edo State Sports Commission Hon Amadin Enabulele has inaugurated the chairmen and members of the newly reconstituted 37 Sporting Associations in the state. They have been charged to attract sustainable sponsorship and influence growth in the state sports industry.
The newly inaugurated Rugby Association Board which is presently made up of eight members has an acting chairman in the person of Mr Chukwuemeka Anthony. Chief hope Nelson Eselekhomwen is vice chairman and the board has already started work.
During their inaugural meeting held immediately after the inauguration ceremony at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City the Edo State Capital, the board members took a tour of the Rugby Association Office.
There are discussions for an immediate temporary Changing Room and an office/store to be situated at the Adolor Rugby Grounds for the players comfort and privacy during training.
They have also taken up the project for the sitting stands which they hope to discuss with the leadership of the Sports Commission later as well as request for rugby equipments to assist the schools training programme.
They were highly delighted at the progress made and achievement recorded to date by the Edo State Rugby teams (both men and women) respectively and will want to build on that.
Edo State is the home of Rugby in Nigeria. It presently has the only dedicated Rugby Pitch in the country but it lacks the sitting gallery for spectators and the changing rooms for Players.
Edo State Women’s Rugby Senior team is the back-to-back defending National Seven’s champions while the junior women’s team won the National Youth Games gold medal. The men won bronze at the last year edition in Asaba.
The Rugby Association prides itself with the presence of its Head Coach Obong Ntiense Williams who is popularly called “Mr Rugby” who introduced Rugby to the state through the assistance of the then Director of Sports Mr Brown Ebewele (Late) in 2006. The state has a structured development programme which is working very well notwithstanding the lack of equipments and adequate funding. It has so far produced home grown rugby players for the State through the schools programme like the Ehibam Schools Programme and these players are now playing in the National Teams especially the women.
The Board Members have promised to make out time to come and visit the players during their training session at Adolor and interact with them towards familiarizing and bonding as a family.
The following persons are the recently inaugurated Edo State Rugby Association Board Members.
1. Mr Chukwuemeka Anthony
2. Chief Hope Nelson Eselekhomwen
3. Barr. George
4. Major Ime Akpan
5. ACP Aigbe Aghahowa
6. Comrade Joseph Isokpehi
7. Mr Ntiense Williams – Head Coach
8. Mr Osakpamwan Obaraye – Organizing Secretary
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